Valve cage grinder



Oct. 25, 1955 N. cHRlsTENsEN 2,721,425

VALVE CAGE GRINDER Filed Fep. 4, 1952 z sheets-snm 1 Oct. 25, 1955 N.cHRlsTENsEN VALVE CAGE GRINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1952United States Patent O VALVE CAGE GRINDER Niel Christensen, Shreveport,La., assignor to Edward Benton Wilkey, Caddo Parish, La.

, Application February 4, 1952, Serial No. 269,850

1 claim. (C1. s1-1s1) This invention relates to a portable Avalve cagegrinder and has for its primary object to rotate a valve cage in aclosed path about a vertical axis While passing a rapidly rotatinggrinding wheel over the surface of the valve cage to v be ground.

l Another object is to facilitate the rapid loading and unloading-of theturntable of the .device between grinding operations so as to enable thegrinding to be conducted with rapidity and with but a minimum loss oftime when positioning a valve cage in the turntable preparatory togrinding, or removing a ground cage from the turntable.

Another object is to assure accurate grinding of the valve cage over theentire surface thereof.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a turntable mounted to rotate about avertical axis, a valve cage engaging center mounted adjacent theturntable for movement in a rectilinear path above the turntable from aposition in axial alignment therewith to a position above the edge ofsaid turntable, a grinding wheel mounted for movement in a horizontalarcuate path above the turntable from an active position adjacent thecage engaging center to an inactive position remote from said cageengaging center, means for rotating the turntable about its verticalaxis, and means carried by the grinding wheel to rotate it about avertical axis.

Other features include a speed reducing gear coupled to the turntableand to a suitable prime mover by which the speed of rotation of theturntable may be materially reduced over the speed of rotation of thedrive shaft of the prime mover, and means mounted adjacent the turntablefor supporting the grinding wheel in various adjusted positions relativeto the axis of the turntable.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portable valve cage grinder embodyingthe features of this invention showing the parts in inactive position,and

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the parts in active positionand a hand power tool coupled to the grinding wheel for rotating it.

Referring to the drawings in detail an elongated substantiallyrectangular base has mounted thereon adjacent one end a prime mover 12the drive shaft 14 of which is equipped with a suitable clutch member16. Mounted on the base 10 adjacent the end opposite the prime mover isa frame 18 carrying in vertically spaced relation to the base 10 aconventional speed reduction gear contained within a housing 20. Theinput shaft 22 of the speed reduction gear extends horizontally abovethe base 10 in axialalignrnent with the drive shaft 14 of the primemover 12 and is equipped with a clutch member 24 which is adapted tocooperate with the clutch member 16 in establishing driving connectionbetween the prime mover 12 and the speed reduction gearing contained inthe housing 20. The output shaft of the speed reduction gearing extendsvertically from the base 10 and has connected thereto for rotationtherewith a shaft 26 which extends axially downwardly from a turntable28 2,721,425 Patented Octv25, 195.5

'ice

which rotates about the vertical axis of the output shaft of the speedreduction gearing. An upwardly extending annular ange 30 is carried bythe turntable 28 adjacent the peripherythereof and forms in conjunctionwith the turntable a circular pocket 3 2 in which a valve cage C `is'received when .being ground- Secured to the base 10 intermediate theends andv to one side of the clutch members 16. and 24 is an upwardlyextending post 34 which is provided adjacent its upper end with yahorizontally extending stationary .arm 36 having an elongatedlongitudinal slot 38 extending therethrough. The arm v36 extends abovethe turntable 28 toward the vertical axis about which the turntablerotates, and mounted forlongitudinal sliding movement in the slot 38 fisa valve cage engaging center 40 which is held in various adjustedpositions on the arm 36 by Clamp nuts 42. yIn lits active positionth'e'center 40 is located directly above the center of the turntable 28and in axial alignmentwith the Avertical axis about which the turntable2.8 rotates in order to hold a valve cage to be ground in properyrelation to the turntable V2,8 during the grinding Of., the

cage. l

' Mounted on the base 10 adjacent the end thereof remote from the primemover 12 and extending vertically in parallel relation to the post 34 onthe side of the turntable opposite the post is a standard 42' on whichis mounted for vertical adjustment and rotation about its vertical axisa sleeve 44 carrying at its upper end a plate 46. A screw 45 isthreadedly engaged through the upper end of the sleeve 44 and bears onthe upper end of the post 42 for vertically adjusting said sleeve 44.Vertically spaced bolts 48 threadedly engage the plate 46 and extendthrough vertically spaced parallel horizontal slots 54 formed in an arm52 which extends laterally from the plate 46 and carries at its endremote from said plate a bearing 56 in which is mounted for rotationabout a vertical axis a grinding wheel 58. The grinding wheel is mountedon a shaft 60 which extends vertically through the bearing 56 and isprovided at its end remote from the grinding wheel 58 with a socket 62having flat sides for the reception of a at sided drive shaft 64 of aconventional portable power tool 66. As illustrated in the drawings, thegrinding wheel 58 extends below the bearing member 56 and arm 52 formovement in a horizontal arcuate path from an active position adjacentthe axis of the turntable 28 (Fig. 2) to an inactive position remotefrom the turntable (Fig. l). The horizontal arcuate path in which thegrinding wheel 58 moves is located above the upper edge of theupstanding llange 30 of the turntable 28 so that when a valve cage C isin place in the turntable as illustrated in Fig. 2 the bottom surface ofthe grinding wheel 58 will contact the top surface of the cage C.

In use, assuming that the parts are in the position illustrated in Fig.l preparatory to mounting the cage C in the turntable 28, it is evidentthat the turntable will be clear so that the cage C may be deposited inthe space 32 defined by the annular flange 30. With the cage C thusdeposited, the cage engaging center 40 is moved longitudinally throughthe slot 38 in the arm 36 until it aligns with the axis of the turntable28 at which time it is adjusted by ones turning the nuts 42 to bring itslower pointed end into contact with the stem S carried by the Valve cageC. Thus the center 40 will serve to hold the valve cage C in axialalignment with the axis of the turntable 28 so that when the latter isdriven by engaging the clutch members 16 and 24, the cage will rotate ina closed path concentric with the vertical axis. With the cage C thuspositioned, the grinding wheel 58 is moved in its arcuate path into anactive position adjacent the vertical axis of the turntable 28 and uponcoupling a portable power tool 66 to the shaft 60 through the medium ofthe socket 62, it will be evident that the grinding wheel may be rapidlyrotated against the surface of the cage C to be ground. By onesloosening the screws 48, the arm 52 may be adjusted horizontally toproperly locate the grinding wheel with relation to the axis of theturntable 28 so that the cage C may be accurately ground throughout itsentire top surface.

`Whi1e in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A valve cage grinder comprising a base, a turntable I mounted on saidbase for rotation in a horizontal plane about a vertical disposed axis,said turntable being shaped and adapted to receive and position a valvecage to be ground, a post extending upwardly from said base and havingits axis disposed parallel to and on one side of the axis of theturntable, a horizontally disposed arm mounted on said post, a centeringpin carried by said arm and adjustable horizontally and vertically withrespect thereto, said centering pin being adapted to engage the axis ofsaid valve cage so as to center it with respect to the axis of saidturntable, a standard extending upwardly from said base and spacedslightly radially outwardly from the turntable and having its axisdisposed parallel to the axis of said turntable on the side thereofopposite said post, a grinding wheel mounted on said standard andmovable in an arcuate horizontal path thereabout and adjustablehorizontally thereon and adapted to engage said cage to be ground whenin active position, a socket carried by the grinding wheel on the axisthereof for forming a readily detachable driving connection with theshaft of a power tool and power means for driving said turntable.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,702,796 Reed Feb. 19, 1929 1,831,085 Williams Nov. 10, 1931 1,839,775Rottler Ian. 5, 1932 1,902,629 Evans Mar. 21, 1933 2,249,148 Lovely July15, 1941 2,309,615 Sunnen Ian. 26, 1943 2,424,109 Miesse July 15, 1947FOREIGN PATENTS 137,161 Germany Dec. 12, 1902 229,906 Switzerland Feb.16, 1944 375,924 Germany May 19, 1923 906,983 France June 4, 1945

